The Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUB) received a significant boost in its quest to produce globally competitive graduates, following the donation of a multimillion-naira Tech Experience Centre by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF).
The facility, donated by Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman of Zinox Group and Founder of LSEF, was commissioned on his behalf by the President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu.
The centre is equipped with the latest Zinox computers, powered by the iPower renewable energy suite, which features high-performance solar panels and certified lithium batteries.
It is also connected to a 24-hour, non-disruptive satellite internet service powered by Starlink, a service that the LSEF has committed to funding for the next five years.
According to Mr. Ekeh, the Tech Experience Centre is dedicated to the use of students and knowledge workers at FUB, with the aim of equipping them with the digital skills and resources required to compete with their peers globally and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.
This centre is one of several cutting-edge technology hubs donated by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to tertiary institutions across Nigeria. It supports the Federal Government’s vision to upgrade the nation’s higher institutions to world-class standards.
For over 25 years, Mr. Ekeh and the Zinox Group have consistently invested in promoting digital education by donating tech laboratories and innovation hubs.
In recent years, the Foundation has delivered and equipped centres at St. Augustine University, Lagos, and Imo State University and refurbished older facilities it had donated in the past.
According to Mr. Ekeh, the next phase will see the Foundation extend similar interventions to secondary schools across the country.
He called on politicians, government agencies, and wealthy Nigerians to intentionally invest in the nation’s education sector, stressing that a well-educated populace is the Foundation for national development.
Mr. Ekeh expressed his appreciation to the Chairman of the University Council, the council members, Vice Chancellor Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, members of the University Management, staff, and students of FUB, as well as the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for their support in accommodating the LSEF’s vision.
Speaking on behalf of the university, Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, Vice Chancellor of FUB, expressed deep appreciation to Mr. Ekeh and the LSEF for the generous donation.
“This Tech Experience Centre will make a remarkable difference in the academic and research output of our students and staff. We are grateful for Mr. Ekeh’s vision, generosity, and long-standing contributions to this institution and to digital education in Nigeria. This facility is more than a building with computers; it is an investment in the future of our graduates and the growth of our nation.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the commissioning, Mr. Chimezie Orisakwe, head of Corporate Communications for the Zinox Group, highlighted Mr. Ekeh’s sustained promotion of digital learning across Nigeria, from interventions in the media sector to landmark projects with the media, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Population Commission (NPC), and others.
He also highlighted Mr. Ekeh’s reflection on the current state of Nigeria’s education sector, warning that many institutions, both public and private, face severe funding deficits.
This, he noted, raises the risk of closures, which would deprive graduates of the enduring legacy of their alma maters.
To address these challenges, the Zinox Chairman proposed that the Federal Government adopt a college system and reclassify existing universities.
He recommended granting approvals for specialized professional colleges affiliated with reputable universities, similar to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) model with the University of Lagos.
Ekeh emphasized that the quality of an institution’s academic content now matters more than its physical size.
Those passionate about establishing tertiary institutions must be focused on their core mission, be willing to invest adequately, and possess the mental and financial capacity to sustain standards.
He further urged that educational institutions be regulated even more stringently than banks, given their central role in producing the human capital that drives both the public and private sectors.
“Educational institutions are not limited liability companies that can be liquidated at will. Their true profit is not in short-term returns but in the quality of graduates they produce, men and women who can lead this nation and give back to the institutions that shaped them,” Ekeh stated.
The donation to FUB is the latest in a long list of interventions by the Zinox Group to support Nigeria’s technological advancement.
Through the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation, the Group has also funded thousands of scholarships, donated modern digital learning facilities nationwide, extended non-interest loans to budding entrepreneurs, and supported churches, hospitals, and humanitarian causes.
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